What hobbies or talents do you have?

I have been on a quest to know who I am outside of my career. It is SO easy to get caught up in my career. A few months ago I was given a survey to let other people know who I am and a little bit about me. One of the questions was "what are your hobbies or talents?" I gave a quick answer of "it is hard to say because I get really interested in something and I am obsessed with it for few months and then I won't do anything with it again." For some reason I thought it would make me look real artistic.

But, now I think that was rather well put. I was really into stamping and scrap booking, and now if I take any pics, it is on a digital camera and I don't print them. Those that are printed sit in a pile to be "scrapped." Next I was obsessed about crocheting. I taught myself how to do it and I made several afghans for family and friends, and those leprosy wraps. Now I look at a project that I have recently started and it will probably never be completed. Cross stitching was another fad I have had since teenage years. I had one project sitting around for 5 years before I finally forced myself to finish it. I have another project that I purchased, but I have no desire to even start. I love sewing things. I really like creating the pattern, using scraps, and having it turn out well. But the only time I sew now is for Zero The Hero sock puppet capes.

My latest fascination is renovating furniture. I don't know if it is really renovating. I like to strip off the old paint or varnish. It is really fun using a stripping agent and sliding the paint off. It reminds me of peeling sunburns. I am on my third project. It is a sewing table. I was hoping that the previous owner had painted on top of the varnish, which they did. The sewing table has a folding top so there is more work space. It also has the part to lower the machine under the desk. My machine is too big to use it that way, but I was really, really hoping it would. So I have peeled most of the paint and primer paint off. Now I need to strip the old varnish off, especially since stripping the paint has ruined it. But I have used up all the strip agent and the store is closed.

My other two projects have been about a year ago. I had moved into a new place about a year earlier and had been living without a few things.

I needed a chest of drawers. I found a great one at the local Thrift Store. It was a Saturday morning and I was driving home from the gym and as I passed the Thrift shop I just felt that I should stop in and look around. I drove another 5 blocks before I finally succumbed to that voice. It was the first thing as you walk in and I wanted it right away, it had 8 drawers (well 7 drawers and one missing), a mirror, and it was wood not particle board. But I walked around the place once to see if there was anything else, and I found an end table that I needed in the living room. I finally purchased both and had to figure out how to get it home. I ended up calling my home teacher and he helped me get it home. He also took home a drawer to make a copy for the other side that was missing. He did a fabulous job, too. I sanded the drawers first and put on a white stain and later a varnish. The drawers looked fabulous. Then I started on the base with sanding, and I was getting low on sand paper. Then I asked a colleague about working on wood furniture and he mentioned about a strip agent. I picked some up and tried it out on my 'kitchen cabinets' and then on my base and it was so much faster than just sanding. I didn't do a very good strip job because I already used half of it on the "cabinets". I switched out the pulls for silver and white ones and for months after I finished I would lie in bed and admire the transformation.

I also needed some kitchen cabinets and my landlords were cleaning out their garage and offered me an old army closet. It was army green and had two doors. In each door there were shelves and a small section to hang a coat, but the original owner (not my landlord) had removed the shelves on the right hand side and and made it just a hanging closet. I washed out the inside with soap and water twice before painting the primer. (I used paint leftover from painting my classroom.) Then I painted the inside yellow. I had a blast. Then I found out about the strip agent from a colleague. I picked up some and started removing the green paint. I was so thrilled to have it come off so quickly. I had previously tried sanding off the paint and it made a layer of dust in the kitchen (yes I was doing this in my kitchen) and very little progress in removing the paint. So this new find was fantastic. I was pleased how fast it came off. i wanted to paint the outside the same color blue in my place, but I didn't get anywhere close to it. But it is blue. I still have to do the doors, but I am debating the need for them.

I am looking forward to finishing the sewing desk. I am hoping to put my unused sewing items in the cute drawers. And I am also hoping to do more sewing and crafty things.

What a Marvelous Week!

I have been enjoying my work week immensely. Monday was rather heinous, but the rest of the week has been down right fabulous.

Tuesday was wonderful because I had an hour prep before lunch and I downed 3 candy bars, mmmmmmm. Then I also walked our Gold Medal Mile laps with 4 darling little ladies. I do enjoy those laps inside the school building!

Wednesday was make-up Lunch Bunch day since there was no school on Monday. Mondays I draw 10 lucky names out of our paint tin of tickets that have been turned in for returning homework items every morning. Then lunch is brought back to the classroom and we chat while we eat. The first couple months I had a craft that we (okay, I) would make for the participants to take home. Then it moved to games, until I bought Marshmallow guns. I had a blast shooting marhsmallows at first years. I was their target, so I felt picked on, but it was a fun, fun, fun time.

Thursday is another coveted day with an hour prep after lunch and then we stop at the computer lab. This week I ditched the typical math website and opted for a different one. After trying to get most students logged in, I had fun wandering around listening to their comments of how fun, how did you get it to do that, I got it right.

There are other fantastic experiences this week. We are working on personal books and the first page of our book is about yourself. It is delightful to watch students think of the most important thing about themselves. I shared the book, The Important Book and we copied the format on each page. One friend wrote that his important thing was that his Mom loves him. Then he wrote I like shooting my BB gun. It made me giggle. Another kid wrote that he was good at playing Mario Cart as his most important thing.

We also worked on another page for our book. It is The Seven Continents. This challenge of a student raised his hand to offer a sentence for our shared writing lesson. It amazed me, which shouldn't have because he is great at recalling information. Well, he piped up about the Statue of Liberty's crown having one spike for each continent. I just love it when my teaching is manifested in such wonderful ways.

Some other noteworthy activities is that we spelled ATTENDANCE for the third time this year (we earn a letter each day that everyone is at school) and we had chips and salsa for our reward. Then we had our ninth Zero the Hero Day with donuts! AND to top all that off we had a phonics lesson and split the class in two groups and they were wonderfully cooperative.

Bike Accident: Closure

Over 18 months ago I was in an accident and suffered a concussion. The whole experience was a little obfuscating to me, especially since friends' stories of it seems that I was conscious the whole time, but yet I keep saying "when I came to . . .". Then I saw Conan O'Brien on the Tonight Show. He suffered a concussion doing a skit/stunt and sat with Andy Richter to share what happened. This was a light bulb turning on, it just all clicked for me, especially since Conan kept reiterating that he doesn't remember anything from a certain point and on, but he was obviously conscious. Since my viewing of that episode I have been "at peace" about my Swiss cheese memory of that experience. I am still upset that I don't remember the ambulance ride. But here is what I do know:

Floating around in my head, like a dream, I remember a conversation I had with a colleague who was on the phone to someone and he didn't know who I was but I recognized his voice. I finally said with major embarrassment, "you know me, *Harry!*" That caught Harry off guard, I could tell by his voice. Because I recognized his voice I thought I was at work, but the surroundings didn't match, and this other person hovering on my left that I wouldn't look at but she seemed to think I was in trouble.

And I "woke up" in the emergency room and the last thing I remember was I had been upstairs in the bathroom cutting my hair. So what could I have possibly done in the bathroom to make my face hurt so much? I heard two voices that seemed familiar, but I didn't know who they were. One was holding my hand and the other person seemed further away. Then I wake up again at the end of a conversation, and I don't know what we are talking about, so I clarify, 'I know I've probably just asked this, but what am I doing here? Then in the far corner there is a here-we-go-again-groan, while a gentle patting on my right hand and someone says, "remember, you were in an accident". "What day is it?" "Have I finished the Masters program? (I was starting my last three courses in three days.) "What? What did you say?" (This was after each time I heard the two voices whisper about something. I was worried there was something impossibly wrong with me.) Can you get me a mirror? (There is something wrong with my face, I can feel it!)

Then the doctor comes in, "Who is that?", He's your doctor. Then there is slight tugging on my eyebrow and the doc says, "now open up your mouth." Why? "i need to clean out the gravel and sew you up." I knowingly keep me mouth shut, make me. "I can't clean her up if she doesn't open her mouth." "I just need a minute." I contemplate keeping my mouth closed, but at this point I almost know who is in the corner so then I finally say, "Okay, I'm ready." and I open my mouth, but the doc didn't jump right in so then I close it.

Throughout this whole deal there are comments about calling sisters, their numbers, who can come, who can't, what time they can get there. I'm not really sure.

Towards the end voice-in-the-corner says "I'm going to go pick up the bike." "Where is it?" 300 West 100 North "Where is that?"

Gentle-hand-patter has to go and my sis will be there in 45 minutes. The ER needs the room so I am moved to another room, they make me walk?!?! Will anyone get me a mirror?

SISTER! No, I don't want a wheelchair to the car. ha, I found a mirror!! MY FACE? Then my best comment, "I think my right side of my face hit the ground." what gave that away, all the stitches?

I stayed the weekend at my sister's house, on the day of her son's high school graduation. I felt so guilty that she had to miss his ceremony, but SO thankful she is taking care of me. i don't get any pain prescription but I can take OTC pain meds. Sister alternates every two hours with Advil and Tylenol.

Monday at class I get lots of stares and possibly a gasp as i walk in. Unfortunately the professor had already started talking and i think he even hesitated. Then he states I think you need to tell me about yourself and we proceed around the room. My turn I state my career logistics and then i add that I went over the handlebars on my bike on Friday. Professor seems relieved that it wasn't a domestic violence case. At a break my colleague came over and said this is what i know, he was in his car waiting for the "problem" in the street to move and realized there was an accident and they needed his assistance. He got out of the car and called the EMT, than he mentioned that I had said, "you know me Ryan". He stayed until the ambulance got there and he stated that I was visibly assured that I was in good hands. I remember it as I can't cry in front of these people.

Voice-in-the-Corner found out about my accident because after I was in the ambulance an EMT stopped by the school to tell him a teacher was in an accident and she didn't have any family in the area. VitC called some of my friends, but they were out of town and he called Gentle-Hand-Patter because we were on a team together. So that's how they both ended up there. I am very grateful for their concern.

I wish I had a pic, but it is lost in digital world.

End of Term

I am sad to say I am a little depressed that we are already half-way through the school year. This year I am actually ahead of schedule, I have my report cards finished. (I think I might get in trouble due to that fact, but I'll deal with that later.) I am thoroughly impressed with the gains my students have made this last quarter. I have 10 students reading above grade level. WOW! I have many students who can write beautiful sentences, with nice handwriting, spaces, punctuation, and relate to a topic. I am honored that I have such a great class.

donorschoose.com!! I LOVE IT!

I am amazed at the wonderful donors in the world. There is a great website that allows teachers to post a project that they would like to be funded. This wonderful website then puts it out there in the great wide world and people who would like to support education can make monetary donations to specific projects. If in a certain amount of months the projects are funded then they are retired. This website is hugely confidential, no teacher names or student names are allowed in the description of the project. Although there is an option to look for a specific school in a specific district, so if you know the teachers at the school you could probably figure it out.

I first heard of this site four years ago, and I didn't want anything to do with it. Then, amazingly, I changed my mind. It started with just taking a look at the web page and sample projects. This led to, "just post something to see what happens." Then it is so thrilling to get an email stating some one has donated to your project, and then another donor, and another. The best part is that for technology projects there is a donor who automatically covers half of your cost. Sweetness!

Last week I got an email stating that my project had been partially funded!!! From someone local! Then a few hours later, literally, I received another email that a second donation was made, leaving only $17 to be donated!! I almost made that last donation myself, but there are limits to my credit, so I just let it hang out in that great abyss. Then the next day I had full funding for my project!!! this is soo cool!!! I don't have to share it with anyone, my cool HP All-in-one printer!! I can print off photos, color pages, and soo much more!!!

And the previous project I posted was funded within a week!! I am soo thankful for those generous donors who are willing to help me supplement my classroom needs!

I can make a rhombus, using a rhombus.

I have been working with students, almost individually, to get their report cards done since term ends on Friday. I was working with a group of boys on their assessments using pattern blocks (rhombus, hexagon, squares, triangles) for addition and subtraction. When the boys finished I let them play around with the shapes for several minutes. This one bright kid commented, "I can make a rhombus using rhombuses." Another little guy overheard this and chimed in, "I can too!" and picked up one rhombus and then set on the table. This had me roaring with laughter and all the occupants of the room turned to look at me. It was darling.

Puking Pastiles

I don't get sick very often. Well let me clarify, I don't get puking pastile sick, as an adult I remember only three instances (freshman year in college, once in el ed practicuum class: second grade valentine's day party, and Thanksgiving 2008). And usually I don't have students who puke very often in my class. But this year I have had two within the last month.

One little first year came to me afterwards and I was about to keep him in class until I saw suspicious goo down his shirt and pants and then the trail on the floor (thankfully linoleum, and not carpet). Another little first year came to a center I was manning. When she didn't get to work right away, I asked her if she was okay. She told me she wasn't feeling well, and again I was going to try to keep her in class until her cheeks puffed out and she moved like she didn't want it to get on her clothes. Then I couldn't get her to the office fast enough, and wipe down anywhere she had been with Clorox wipes (I never used to worry about disinfecting until my class had 10 cases of strep throat, and I was one of them).

There are few things that make me gag. Someone vomitting in front of me is one of them. (Another time I was teaching second years and this kid projectile vomitted with noise right after lunch and I could tell what he had eaten. Ten minutes later the secretary was worried that I was going to loose it, and so did I for about an hour.) I also gag when fingers dig up nostrils and then proceed to the mouths (and surprisingly a few adults, not me, still do this).

I'm not going to P-word out

About the only thing I really know about myself is that I really enjoy teaching primary grades. Part of me wonders if it has anything to do with my upbringing but that is another blog. Every year I think that my class is so wonderful and that no other class could possibly replace my current class. I am absolutely stunned each year as I realize that my current class has me wrapped around their litte fingers.

I marvel at children and their schema and knowledge. In primary grades students humor is simple. This year I have noticed how students are seeing the dual meanings in words. The beginning of this year I would state, "As I pass out these papers please....". since the return to school after our Winter Break the students have now started pretending to "pass out" after I say the words. At one point they would do it anytime anyone said the word, until one smart girl said, "ok, I am not going to p-word out, unless Ms. McGonagall says it." This had me rolling on the floor. Now that is our catch phrase if we don't want to do anything unless I say it, 'you know, I'm not going to p-word out unless Ms. McGonagall says it."

One thing I've decided is that I hope that each year each new class replaces my previous class, otherwise it will be my sign to get a new position.